Ordination

Sannyāsa is not the same as spiritual attainment. Sannyāsa is merely an instrument for working towards spiritual attainment. No spiritual seeker needs to take sannyāsa. It is absolutely not a necessity on the spiritual path. But one might long for it because it has specific beneficial effects that may deepen one’s path.

If you feel a longing for sannyāsa, you have a wish to formalise your renunciation in a way that connects you to a very ancient tradition. One that was already described in the ancient scriptures called the Vedas and goes back into times immemorial. You can seek to go about fulfilling this desire for it mainly in three ways:

  • Through vidvat sannyāsa (see previous page), the highest form of sannyāsa, for which you will need to become a Self-Realised practitioner first. This is now more possible than ever before and will be realistically attainable for some of the people who read this. If this is your aim, it is entirely up to your own Soul if and when to initiate you. If you wish to prepare for this, our training programmes offer a suitable system of practice to reach this point of attainment — but you may instead decide to study elsewhere or, if you wish to challenge yourself to the utmost, entirely by yourself.
  • Through vividisha sannyāsa, seeking initiation through a swami linked to our organisation. We can initiate you into the Giri tradition of the Daśanāmi Sampradaya order of Sannyasins. More information is found below.
  • Or through vividisha sannyāsa, but seeking initiation through any other swami. They can initiate you into their own tradition of Sannyasins and will probably train you themselves beforehand.

Initiation into Swamihood

To take sannyāsa is a form of ordination into an ancient monastic tradition. It is the formalising of your quest for spiritual renunciation through monasticism. Renunciation is inevitably a part of the path of all serious spiritual seekers. But monasticism isn’t.

Those initiated into sannyāsa become a monk (swami) or nun (swamini) and take certain vows and should wear traditional clothes (monastic robes) daily or almost daily. As a swami(ni) you are a translator of eternal values to contemporary situations and you do so by deeply emerging yourself in a tradition while living a fully contemporary life.

In this translation process we as an organisation, for example, decided to do things a little different from how they are traditionally done.

For example: Traditionally monastic robes are on the spectrum of natural saffron and ochre dyes (ranging from orange to pink, yellow and sometimes red, all in varying intensity), while some choose to wear white. Those who do so through our organisation are requested to primarily wear white, along with a secondary colour which represents their individual soul ray. This is due to a philosophy that is extensively described in our teachings, which is based on spiritual visions that each student can eventually come to experience for themselves.

Also, where traditionally a life of celibacy is asked of the renunciate, in our approach instead of living a life of celibacy, one preferably lives a life of purity and moderation on the level of sexuality. On a practical level this means emphasising the intimacy and reproductive qualities, rather than the lust and desire sides, and to see all parts of your sexuality as a teacher on the path of spiritual development. In this way, relationships become powerful instruments of transformation, instead of hindrances and diatractions. We are open to people of all sexual orientations.

We currently offer initiation into sannyāsa only to people who have intensively studied with us for at least a few years (and in recent years). This is due to practical reasons. If such a student makes their wish known to us, we will then have a number of conversations about your wish for sannyāsa over a larger period of time, to confirm the strength of your wish. We do this, because taking sannyāsa has a certain influence on your life that is irreversible.

For further information, get in touch with Swami Māntrikadeva.

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